With the No. 96 pick in the 2011 NFL Draft, the Green Bay Packers selected Hawaii running back Alex Green.
Green (6-2, 220) rushed for 1,199 yards in 2010 and averaged a whopping 8.2 yards per carry, while scoring 18 touchdowns. He also caught 27 balls for 363 yards and a touchdown.
Before you anoint Green as the second coming, it should be noted that Hawaii runs a spread offense with multiple receiver sets, so Green’s gaudy yards per carry average is certainly somewhat a product of that.
Still, the Packers’ choice of Green is a good sign [intlink id=”77″ type=”category”]Brandon Jackson[/intlink] won’t be back with the team in 2011. Jackson is a free agent and Green is a great candidate to take over his traditional role as third-down back.
Here’s what NFL.com has to say about Green.
Green does not project to be an every-down back at the next level, but he is a weapon in the passing game and could contribute on third down. He has prototypical size, but he runs a bit upright and will not consistently break tackles in the NFL. He also has a case of fumble-itis. He excels in the passing game, as he shows the ability to consistently get open, catches the ball away from his body and turns upfield without any wasted motion.
Here’s SI.com’s analysis of Green.
Green is a physically gifted ball carrier with the athletic skills and running abilities to make it at the next level. He offers potential as a second back in the NFL if he rounds out his game and carries the ball with more physicality.
What’s interesting is NFL.com had Green rated as a late-round pick and Sports Illustrated projected him as a sixth-rounder, so [intlink id=”20″ type=”category”]Ted Thompson[/intlink] must see something he really likes. It should also be noted that the Packers have chosen three offensive players with their three picks thus far in the draft.
Somewhere [intlink id=”25″ type=”category”]Aaron Rodgers[/intlink] is smiling.
I love this pick. He’s a great replacement for Grant. TT knows what he is doing, I hate it when some fanboy tears him apart over his decisions.
This guy looks good! Out running, out cutting, and laying the wood on dudes instead of ducking out of bounds.
Love this pick. This guy is going to be awesome behind Quinn Johnson.
What happened to our need at olb? Or even defensive line? These are three good picks but I really think we should have addressed the need at olb opposite the “claymaker”. If we upgrade at the olb position we can take some double teams away from clay allowing him to be more destructive in the backfield.
I agree with this sentiment wholeheartedly; as great a story as some may think Zombo/Walden/Jones, et. al. are, they are really not cutting it. ONE legitimate threat on the opposite Matthews could really do wonders for the outside pressure. Additionally, good five-technique (not sure how many are left) or, at this point, even a developmental guy to rotate on the outside/spell B.J. would be great to collapse the middle, which is now something I’m worried about our offense having to deal with in Detroit.
The only problem is it’s tough to pass on a solid OT in the first, and most of the next level pass-rushers were gone by the time we drafted in the 2nd, the only one I recall being on the board was Dontay Moch. The problem with picking 32nd is little power to trade up. I bet TT tried to move up in the 2nd for a DE or pass rusher, but when other teams have higher picks in the same round you are offering, TT isn’t going to throw more picks than he has to.
Justin Houston from Georgia was still on the board, I believe. However, it’s hard not to like a pick like Randall Cobb. We’ll just outscore everyone.
I said coming into this that I did not believe that OLB was the need that many fans and media members believe. With Brad Jones, Frank Zombo, and Erik Walden, our coaching staff has proven the ability to turn late round/undrafted talents into capable OLBs. We still have all those guys. Everyone has been crying for another OLB for two years now, but we just won a Super Bowl without having a star on the other side.
I think short yardage and the shotgun set is what TT had in mind here. A big guy like this should be good at blitz pick-up with the right coaching, and at Hawaii he probably did plenty of that. Or we can give him the draw or release him from the backfield to run a route. In other words, I think he could be a shotgun back in the mold of Steven Jackson.
He should be a great pass protecter. I’d be willing to bet Hawaii threw the ball at least 65% of the time.
We do need and OLB, however I think there are still some good players out there at OLB. Also, I think Brad Jones can still be a decent player. As for Defensive line… They do have Mike Neal who will be coming back from injury. They were really high on him and could be decent in spelling BJ from time to time. Also, they may decide to keep Jenkins. When the guy is heathy he will take some of the double teams away from Clay and plays dirty.
I like Walden and expect him to make even more progress this season.